A tow bar may be used to allow a towing vehicle to be attached to and move a towed vehicle. A tow bar may have one or more telescopic tow bar legs, which may allow the towing vehicle to connect a towed vehicle. The telescopic tow bar leg may have an interlocking device, which generally reversibly fixes or locks the length of the telescopic tow bar leg. This type of telescopic adjustment may allow for change in one or more dimensions of the tow bar itself. This telescopic adjustment could allow the tow bar to generally become more compact when it is stored during non-use. This adjustment could also possibly facilitate the releasing (and attaching) of the tow bar to the vehicles involved in the towing operations.
Operational issues may arise when the tow bar (and hence the interlocking device) is subject to a load, used in adverse environmental conditions or in both situations. A load could occur when parked towed vehicles and parked towing vehicles are so placed (e.g., on an incline) when the length of the tow bar needs to be adjusted by the operator. In such a situation, the tow bar (and hence the telescopic tow bar legs) needs to be compacted in order to release the pressure exerted upon it by the vehicles involved in the tow. Similarly, adverse environmental conditions (e.g., rust) could generally cause the interlocking device to malfunction (e.g. bind, jam up, and the like). This malfunction could generally prevent the desired adjustment of the length of telescopic tow bar leg(s).
What is generally needed therefore is an interlocking device for a telescopic tow bar leg, which is generally reliable and easy to operate (e.g., lock and unlock) without jamming when the tow bar is under a load, exposed to adverse elements, and the like.